Hair holders



July 30, 1963 DUBEUER 3,099,271

HAIR HOLDERS Filed June 30, 1958 3,099,271 HAIR HULDERS Morton A. Dubelier, 298 W. 27th t., Port Washington, Nil. Filed June 3%, 1958, her. No. 745,649 1 Claim. (Cl. l32-4d) This invention relates generally to devices for holding human hair in place on the wearers head, and more particularly to devices in the nature of annular contractibie bands.

In certain styles of hair arrangements there is a grouping of a plurality of hairs, sometimes taking the shape of a pony tail and often referred to by that designation. In order to keep the hair in place, annular rubber bands are resorted to. These have a number of disadvantages, among which are that they are unsightly and they tend to snarl the hair and become entangled therewith, making removal difficult and painful.

It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide novel and useful hair holding devices in which the foregoing disadvantages are obviated.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of structure of the class described which will be easily and quickly donned or removed.

Another object herein lies in the provision of devices for holding the hair which produce a holding effect comparable to an annular device but which have portions which are detachably interengageable, so that in putting the present devices on the hair, the hank of the hair need not be passed through an annulus.

Another object is the provision of detachably engageable means in the devices which are easily operated by the user even when the location of the engageable means is out of the users sight.

Another object herein lies in the provision of structure of the class described in which a resilient annular band is provided, having an enlargement which may be grasped by the user in easily handling the device, especially in removing the same from a position on the wearers hair which is not visible to the wearer.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear with progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the invention, as worn.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a band element.

FIGURE 2a is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the plane 2a2a on FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational View of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational view of a terminal connector element.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view as seen from the plane 5-5 on FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, of the upper portion of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, corresponding to FIGURE 6 but showing a second embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective View of a fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention.

Turning to the first embodiment of the invention, illus- 3,9 9,2?l Patented July 30, 1963 trated in FIGURES 1 to 6 inclusive, the hair holding device generally indicated by reference character 20 comprises generally a band element 22, and a terminal connector element 24.

The band element 22 is preferably composed of a resilient core 26 and a wrapping member 28. The core 26 is preferably composed of rubber, synthetic rubber or an elastomer. The wrapping member 28 is preferably a hollow braided textile. such that they aiford low absorbency for water and/or oil. This promotes a cleaner appearance and is more sanitary. The length of the band element will be affected by the circumference of the hair bank 36 to be confined, the degree of constrictive force desired, and the elasticity of the core 26. I have found, for example, that a length of five and one-half to six inches is highly useful for average coifiures.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the wrapping member may be of different colors, or textures so as to enhance its decorative effect when worn.

The terminal connector element is preferably composed of metal and in its formative stage as indicated by reference character 24a may be of cup shape, having a dome portion 32. and a plurality of bendable tabs 34.

In the assembly of the device 20, the two ends 36 and 37 are placed within the hollow confines of the dome portion 32 and the tabs 34 are bent inwardly toward eacl other so that they compress the said ends 36 and 3'7, producing the constriction 38. This secures the ends 36 and 37 to produce an annulus, and provides a first or primary enlargement with which a bight portion 42 may coact as seen for example in FIGURE 3.

Thus the use of the first embodiment is simple and convenient. The bight 42 is grasped by one of the users hands while the terminal connector element 24 (primary enlargement) is grasped by the other hand. The two hands are brought together with the hair hank disposed therebetween and the device 20 is looped thereabout, thereby encircling said hank. Next, the element 24 is passed through the bight 42 which is released and contracts about the exposed portions of the ends 36' and 37 which form a narrow neck below the connector element 24. In view of the contractile nature of the band element 22, the bight 42 pulls sufficiently tightly below the element 24 to hold the device securely in position until it is later desired to remove the same. Removal is accomplished simply by a reversal of the above described steps, the enlargement formed by the connector element 24 forming a handy means for grasping the parts to produce separation.

Turning to the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 7, to avoid needless repetition, certain of the parts corresponding to the prior described embodiment are given the same reference characters with the addition of the prefix 2. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the incorporation of auxiliary means 24%) for locking the ends 236 and 237 together when the band element 222 is of such soft character that the tabs 234 do not obtain suificient purchase thereon.

I have shown the auxiliary means 240* as being disposed within the connector element 224, to be concealing the same. This enhances the appearance, but where the auxiliary means 240 is composed of a relatively inconspicuously appearing material, said means 240 may be located below the element 224. I have found the auxiliary means 2% to be satisfactory when composed of a stiff wire portion as for example, a staple, which is crimped or clamped about the ends 236 and 237. The construction shown in FIGURE 7 is superior in that the means 24d produces a locking enlargement which, not

The fibers employed are suitably only secures the ends 236 and 237 to each other, but also forms an obstruction against accidental pulling out of said ends from the connector element 224 past the tabs 234.

In the third embodiment of the invention, here again, to avoid repetition needlessly, certain of the parts corresponding to the first embodiment are given the same reference characters with the prefix 3. Thus, the device 320 not only includes the terminal connector element 324 which provides a first or primary enlargement, but slidably disposed along the band element 322 near the ends 336 and 337 is a second enlargement 356. The enlargement 350 not only provides an additional protuberance over which the bight portion 342 would have to be lifted to produce engagement or disengagement but it also enables this enlargement 350 to take the form of a decorative element. In the illustration of FIGURE 8, the enlargement 350 is shown as a small jingle bell. Other decorative objects of varying size and shape may be substituted to produce desirable visual effects in the article 320. All of such second enlargements comparable to the enlargement 350 are characterized, however, by the fact that they contain a stricture or orifice 351 through which the then parallel portions of the band element 322 pass. Provided that there is enough etfective length in the band element, for the purposes required, additional enlargements may be added so that there may be a plurality of them present.

Turning now to the fourth embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 9, here again, for the purpose of avoiding needless repetition, certain of the parts are given the same reference character as those used in connection with the first embodiment with the addition of the prefix 4. In the fourth embodiment the band element 422 is looped about the hair bank 436 more than once. This is accomplished where the band element is of greater length, or the hair hank is of lesser diameter, or Where the tension in the device 420 as worm is of a greater degree. In the structure as seen in FIGURE 9, the device 420 has been passed around the hair hank once, twisted once, passed about the hair hank again and is in the process of receiving a second twist, following which the hair hank 430 will be passed in the direction of the arrow 460 through the opening 461. It is to be noted that upon release, there will be a plurality of coils of the band element 422 about the hair hank and, as 'distinguished from the first embodiment for example, it is necessary to pass the hair hank through loops of the band element as they are formed. In the first embodiment this is not done since the bight is detachably engaged with the enlargement after the same has been passed around the hair hank once.

When an elastic annulus is coiled a number of times about a hank of hair, the coils tend to intermingle and normally it is hard to remove the same. In the structure shown in FIGURE 9, when it is desired to remove the device 420, it is merely necessary to grasp the enlargement which is the connector element 450 and pull the same radially away from the hair hank 430. This immediately produces a space of opening through which the fingers of the other hand may be placed so that it is quick and easy to remove the device from the hair hank.

Turning to the fifth embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 10, the main elements of the structure are substantially identical to the first embodiment and have corresponding reference characters with the prefix 5. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the incorporation of the frictional sliding element 560. This may take the form of a short hollow cylinder or tube whose internal diameter is such that the band element 522 has doubled upon its end upon which the element 560 slides, forms a frictional fit, the band portions enclosed by the element 560 being under substantial compression.

The operation of this embodiment is simple and quick. When the element 560 is moved to the dot-dash position, shown in FIGURE 10, the bight 542 is very appreciably enlarged so that the hank of hair 530 may be easily passed therethrough. After this, the element 560 is moved in the direction of the arrow 561 causing the bight 542 to be reduced in size and to thereby resiliently constrict the hank 530.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of structure shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

I claim:

A hair holding device comprising: a band element composed of an elongated elastic member having two free ends; a terminal connector element joining said ends and forming a first enlargement on said band element; a second enlargement disposed on said band element inward- 1y of said first enlargement; said band element being formable to have a bight portion which is detachably engageable upon said enlargements, which prevent the disengagement of said bight portion and serve as a grasping means for the user.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 273,770 Shelby Mar. 13, 1883 957,462 Freeman May 10, 1910 1,156,560 Timmerman Oct. 12, 1915 1,236,871 Richards Aug. 14, 1917 1,442,531 Mather et a1. Jan. 16, 1923 1,643,226 Strabelle Sept. 20, 1927 1,815,267 Mackall July 21, 1931 1,945,932 Coley Feb. 6, 1934 2,832,358 Chambers Apr. 29, 1958 

